Reinforcing jacket for socket shells



May 10, 19380 H. HUBBELL, JR

7 REINFORCING JACKET FOR SOCKET SHELLS Filed June 10, 1955 m w a 9 w? m.l/I/H/ Iii all //W (a 4 w w 8 aw v M u 2 a 0M 1 2 HI! 6 2 2 I l I a 5 w2 3 m llllllllllli 3g INVENTOR Patented May 10, 1938 UNITED STATESREINFORGING JACKET FOR SOCKET SHELLS Harvey Hubbell, Jr., Bridgeport,Conn, assignor to Harvey Hubbell, Incorporated, Bridgeport, O0nn., acorporation of Connecticut Application June 10, 1935, Serial No. 25,774

3 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in electricsockets and has particular relation to the strengthening or reinforcingof sockets.

An object of the invention is to provide for the strengthening orreinforcing of sockets in a manner to prevent separation of the caps andshells of the sockets in shifting the socket on flexible mountings, andthe invention also provides for the strengthening of the caps of socketsto prevent their being bent or collapsed during such shifting action.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a considerationof the following detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing wherein satisfactory embodiments of the inventionare shown. However, it will be understood that the invention is notlimited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations andmodifications as. fall Within the spirit of the invention and the scopeof the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view with parts broken away and showing asocket constructed and reinforced in accordance with the presentinvention; V

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the construction of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the strengthening jacketand ring as applied to a standard construction of socket;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the jacket and ring as applied to asocket having a reenforced cap; and

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5of Fig. 4.

An objection of socket shells now generally used is the weakness of thecap section which is usually made of thin metal. Such a cap is liable toyield or bend due to the leverage from the attaching nipple when thesocket is shifted on flexible oradjustable supports, or due to weight oflamp shades, etc., mounted on the socket or lamp. Also, unless thedetachable securing or locking means between the cap and shell are veryaccurately made the cap and shell are very apt to become separated inuse, especially if a lateral tion.

Referring in detail to the drawing and at first particularly to Figs. 1and 2, a socket generally designated I0 is shown as including a metalshell H and a cap I2 the latter carrying a nipple l3 of any or the usualconstruction. for attaching the socket to a suitable support. The shellH is of the usual construction, but the cap I2 is of heavier gauge metalthan that ordinarily employed in the making of these caps, and may beshoulder M of the shell.

and preferably is of steel, although this last is not absolutelynecessary since the purpose is to have the cap strong, particularly whenit is equipped with a nipple connection, so that it will not bend out ofplace or collapse when a lateral pressure or leverage is applied to theshell, as for example when shifting the socket on a flexible mounting.

The lower portion of the shell II is ofreduced diameter whereby ashoulder 14 is formed, and the cap l2 includes a portion [5 receivingthe upper or inner end portion of the shell and at its upper side aboutits edge the cap is provided with a shoulder I 6. the cap and shell inassembled relation. maybe employed or may be omitted as desired. In thedrawing the inner insulating linings for the cap and shell as well asthe porcelain body, contacts, binding posts, etc., have been omitted.This shell H is a standard thin metal lamp socket shell, the upperportion above the shoulder I4, which com prises about one-half thelength of the shell, being enlarged to receive the inside works of thesocket comprising the insulating body carrying the switch mechanism whenone is used, the binding post for connection of the lead wires and thevarious connections from the binding posts to the switch elements. Theusual central and screw shell contacts are connected to the lower end ofthis body and the screw shell contact extends into the reduced lowerportion of the shell below the shoulder M. It is into this screw shellthe screw contact on the lamp bulb is threaded.

According to the present invention the shell and cap are held togetherby means of a jacket I1 and a ring I8. The upper end portion of thejacket is of a diameter to receive the depending portion I5 of thecapand is externally screw threaded as at l9, while the lower portion 2|]of the jacket is drawn inwardly or has its: diameter reduced so thatwhen the jacket is placed on the shell or the shell is inserted in thejacket the portion 20 of the latter will engage the It will thus be seenthe jacket encloses the upper enlarged portion of the shell II andbecause the shoulder I4 is spaced below the upper end of the shell aconsiderable distance the support of the jacket H for the shell I l isat a considerable distance from the lower end l5 of the cap embracingthe upper end of the shell. There is therefore a considerable leverageadvantage for the support of the shell by the jacket which obviously ismuch greater than that between the overlapping portions 15 and 28 of thecap and shell which must withstand all lateral bending when no jacket isused. It will thus be evident that with this jacket I! there is muchgreater resistance to lateral bending and separation of a cap and shellthan is possible where the The customary means for holding normalconnection in the overlapped portions of the cap and shell only arerelied on.

The ring I8 includes a portion ZI screw threaded in its inner side as-at22 and of a diameter toreceive and be threaded onto the upper threadedend portion of the jacket II. cludes an inwardly extending upperflange-like portion 23 adapted to rest on the shoulder I6 of the capwhen the cap is inserted into the ring or the ring is dropped over thecap.v Preferably the outer surface of the portion 2| of the ring isgrooved or otherwise roughened as at 24 whereby the ring may be securelygripped for turning it.

To apply the jacket and ring to a socket to be strengthened orreinforced it is but necessary to place the jacket I'I over the shell ofa socket and the ring I8 over the cap of the socket and then screw thering and jacket together. This will draw the reduced portion 20 of thejacket against the shoulder I4 of the shell and will also draw theflange-like portion 23 of the ring against the shoulder I6 of the capsecurely locking the cap and shell together. Lugs 25 carried by the capenter into an opening or notch 26 in the jacket and thereby preventrelative turning of the jacket and cap. The opening, as shown, isenlarged providing a passage for the stem of a switch key although itwill be clear that the passage might be used for the guide for a pullchain, and it is also to be understood that the ring and jacket may beused in connection. with a keyless socket.

It will be clear that when the cap and shell are connected as heredisclosed they may not be pulled apart or separated by any pressure ortwist exerted on the nipple I3. Moreover since the cap itself is ofheavy gauge metal, as of steel or the like, it will be clear that anyordinary pressure tending to bend or twist the nipple will not causebending or collapse of the cap.

Fig. 3 shows the jacket I! and ring I8 as applied to a socket ofstandard construction and including a shell II having its lower endportion reduced to provide a shoulder M and having its upper edgeportion fluted as at 28. The cap 29 carries a nipple 30 and receives theupper end portion of the shell II and has small pockets 3| to receivespring fingers 32 on the shell and which catch in said pockets andagainst a shoulder 36 at the lower part thereof in the usual manner toconnect the cap and shell. A comparison of Figs. 1 and 3 will show thatthe metal in the caps of standard construction, as in Fig. 3, is of arelatively light gauge of metal.

With the standard lighter construction of socket cap a bending action onthe nipple 3B is apt to cause bending or collapse of the cap 29 or pullthe cap away from the shell II. When a jacket I! and ring I8 aredisposed about this standard socket and screwed one onto the other theportion 23 of the ring is drawn downwardly onto a shoulder 33 of the capand the portion 20 of the jacket is drawn against the shoulder I4 of theshell so that the shell and cap are securely held against separation.

Figs. 4 and 5 show the jacket and ring as applied to .a socket which isof standard construction with the exception that its cap isstrengthened. In these figures the shell, jacket and ring have beengiven the same reference Also, the ring in'-.

characters as in Figs. 1 and 3. The cap in Fig. 4 is generallydesignated 34 and as shown includes the nipple 35 and is provided withpockets 3| receiving the spring fingers 32 at the upper end of the shellII.

Cap 34 is of the usual light gauge metal but is strengthened byhavingribs or beads 31 pressed in the same whereby to make it more rigid sothat a bending or twisting force on the nipple 35 will.n0t collapse thecap. It will be apparent as the jacket I! and ring I8 have been screweddown or together to hold the cap and shell together 1 the latter partsare securely connected and are not apt to be separated by a bending ortwisting force applied to nipple 35.

The shells are threaded at 38 to attachment of any suitable type ofshade holder.

Having thus. set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In an electric socket, a metal cap, a thin metal shell partlytelescoping with said cap, interengaging means on the shell and cap fordetachably holding them in such relation, an external shoulder on thecap at one side of said telescoping joint, an external shoulder on theshell at the other side of and in substantially spaced relation to saidjoint, a metal ring including a portion engaging the shoulder of thecap, a metal jacket enclosing a substantial portion of the shell andincluding a portion engaging the external shoulder of the shell, andsaid jacket and ring screw threaded together to draw their portionstight against the shoulders of the cap and shell whereby to protect theshell and hold the latter and the cap against casual separation.

2. In an electric socket, a metal cap, a thin metal shell partlytelescoping with said cap, one of said cap and shell having smallpockets there in, spring fingers on the other of said cap and shell andentering said pockets to detachably hold the cap and shell in suchtelescoping relation, an external shoulder on the cap at one side ofsaid telescoping joint, an external shoulder on the shell at the otherside of and in substantially spaced relation to said joint, a metal ringincluding a portion engaging the shoulder of the cap, a metal jacketenclosing a substantial portion of the shell and including a portionengaging the external shoulder of the shell, and said jacket andring's'crew threaded together to draw their portions tight against theshoulders of the cap and shell whereby to protect the shell and hold thelatter and the cap against casual separation.

3. In an electric socket, a metal cap, a thin metal shell partlytelescoping with said cap, an external shoulder on the cap at one sideof said telescoping joint, an external shoulder on the shell at theother side of and in substantially spaced relation to said joint, ametal ring including a portion engaging the shoulder of the cap, a metaljacket enclosing a substantial portion of the shell and including aportion engaging the external shoulder of the shell, said jacket andring screw threaded together to draw their portions tight against theshoulders of the cap and shell, said jacket having an openingtherethrough for the passage of switch operating means to the interiorof the socket, and means preventing turning of said jacket relative tosaid switch operating means.

HARVEY I-IUBBELL, J R.

